Forsberg gives Flyers a lift
Peter Forsberg showed why he's considered one of the best hockey players in the world.
Embarrassed after two road losses, Forsberg scored two goals and Robert Esche made 26 saves to give the Philadelphia Flyers some home-ice tonic in a 4-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres last night.
The Sabres still lead the best-of-seven series, 2-1, with Game 4 tomorrow night, also in Philadelphia.
''I didn't feel any more pressure than anybody else," Forsberg said. ''If we play the right way, we can play with these guys."
The Flyers were humiliated in their six-goal loss Monday night, and they were left looking for an edge as coaches Ken Hitchcock and Lindy Ruff got into a verbal spat.
Leave it to Forsberg, who led Sweden to an Olympic gold medal in Turin, to get Philly going.
Forsberg put the Flyers ahead for the first time in the series midway through the second period with his first postseason goal. He gave them a 3-1 cushion with another one late in the period, and he never looked bothered by the groin injury that sidelined him for 22 games during the regular season.
Instead, Forsberg looked every bit the superstar the Flyers expected when they signed him to a two-year, $11.5 million contract last summer. The Flyers are an entirely different team when Forsberg is (relatively) healthy and on top of his All-Star game.
''Forsberg, I've always said, can win a game by himself," Ruff said. ''He's been through enough wars in the playoffs. He got a couple of lucky bounces, but he made a difference."
Esche, who was sensational in Game 1 with 55 saves and awful in Game 2, was sharp in this one. He stuffed the Sabres on the power play, leaving them scoreless on seven opportunities.
Hurricanes 2, Canadiens 1 -- Eric Staal scored a power-play goal 3:38 into overtime as visiting Carolina avoided falling into an 3-0 hole in its first-round playoff series.
Carolina captain Rod Brind'Amour tied the score 11:27 into the third period with his third goal in two games.
Montreal's Tomas Plekanec was sent off for hooking 2:35 into overtime and Staal won it with a drive from the point that went through traffic and past goalie Cristobal Huet.
Montreal's Saku Koivu left early in the second period, bleeding from a cut in the area of his left eye after he was clipped by Hurricanes right wing Justin Williams's stick while cutting past Carolina's net. Koivu, who wears a visor, was taken to a hospital with a facial injury and did not return. Canadiens GM-coach Bob Gainey said Koivu was cut around his left eye and had an undetermined eye injury and will be examined by team ophthalmologist John Little.
''I really don't know any specifics," Gainey said. ''When it's around the eye I think it's wise and prudent that all caution be taken."
Avalanche 4, Stars 3 -- Alex Tanguay scored 1:09 into overtime to give host Colorado the victory and a 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference series.
Ian Laperriere assisted on Tanguay's second goal of the game, which ruined a solid performance by Dallas goaltender Marty Turco (25 saves), who for most of the night looked like he was going to reward coach Dave Tippett's decision to stick with him in net.
But he allowed the tying goal with less than a minute left in the third period, then gave up the winner a little more than a minute into the extra period.
In a late game Tuesday night, Jarret Stoll's goal 8:44 into the second overtime gave the host Edmonton Oilers a 4-3 victory over the top-seeded Detroit Red Wings and a 2-1 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series.
Stoll fired a shot past Manny Legace after the Detroit goalie made a nice save on Sergei Samsonov to send the frantic crowd home happy.
